Deland Facing Tall Order This Season

December 4, 1986|By Creig Ewing of The Sentinel Staff

DELAND — The DeLand High School boys basketball team knows it has a tall order. Just like last year the Bulldogs have to play above their heads if they want to win with their average height of about 5-feet-11 1/2.

It didn't take long for the Bulldogs to see what kind of task they have this year. The opening oppnent Tuesday night in DeLand was one of the Class AAAA, District 9 favorites, Sanford Seminole. Seminole could put five players on the floor with an average height of 6-6 if Coach Bill Klein chose to.

The spunky Bulldogs might have been overmatched in the 54-47 loss, but they weren't bullied.

''People come in and look at our ballclub and have a tendency to let down. But our kids don't get intimidated,'' DeLand Coach John Zeoli said.

DeLand certainly didn't. The Bulldogs hustled downcourt all night. In the first half they worked the ball inside with a great deal of success and led, 21-13, in the second quarter.

The Seminoles, however, didn't have the same success working the ball inside. They never tried to take advantage of the height difference between 6-0 DeLand center Warren Edwards and 6-8 Seminole center Craig Walker.

Walker scored just two points in the first half, but scored six in the final five minutes to finish with 11 points.

''With our size we just try to stop the low post pass,'' Zeoli said. ''I was proud of the kids tonight. At the end though Walker started taking charge.''

Most of Seminoles' points scored from inside were from offensive rebounds. They scored 14 points directly from offensive rebounds but outrebounded DeLand just 40-36.

Forward Irvin Bletcher was the Bulldogs top scorer with 12 points. He was 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Edwards had 9 points and Miller 8.

DeLand's lead had dwindled to 26-23 at halftime then soon disappeared altogether in the third quarter. Seminole outscored the Bulldogs 15-4 in the quarter to take a comfortable 38-30 lead.

Zeoli saw some consolation in the fact that DeLand didn't lose because it was incapable of beating teams like Seminole. It was DeLand's own mistakes that cost the Bulldogs the victory.

DeLand had 17 turnovers. Most of them were in the third period when the Bulldogs were able to get off only four shots.

''I think for some reason they lost a little bit of the killer instinct they had. We have to shoot at least 20 to 25 baskets a half and we didn't do that,'' Zeoli said. ''I really believe we will win. It's just too bad we couldn't play the same way for 32 minutes tonight.''

The Bulldogs play in a matinee game Thursday at DeLand against Palatka at 3 p.m. They will play taller teams all year, but proved Tuesday they can play with them.

''We really weren't intimidated. We know if we play to the best of our ability and iron out a few wrinkles we'll be all right,'' Zeoli said.